My Boston-area father was an avid woodworker and carpenter. He had an entire workshop full of high-quality, very well-maintained machines such as lathes and drill presses. He also collected wood, especially fairly hard-to-find and very high-quality pieces such as black walnut. He stored all of it in the house or in a dry shed, all with spacers and other means to avoid warping.

Now Dad has passed, and we need to find a good way to sell these items. We'd rather sell than donate, as 88-yr-old Mom desperately needs the money. We would rather not post it on Craigslist and have many strangers pacing through the house. Any ideas????

11-28-2011, 03:27 PM

A. Spruce

Re: How best to sell tools, machines, and wood

I'm going through the same dilemma. I've tried Craigslist for other things and 99% of the respondents were spam. I'm still getting spam emails and I've not had anything up for almost a year.

You might try the bulletin board at local material suppliers who deal with cabinet shops and woodworkers. This is what I will be doing once I get organized. Another avenue is to contract with a tool dealer to sell on consignment, you won't get much, but it will be a little more than just giving it away. Used equipment in good shape generally sells for about 50% of retail, consignment fees range in the 40% - 60% area.

11-28-2011, 05:42 PM

HoustonRemodeler

Re: How best to sell tools, machines, and wood

My will states that all my tools go to one of my employees who will, without a doubt, promptly sell them. He is planning on;

1- Running a Craigs list ad for a TOOL AUCTION to be held at the workshop. Check out the auction rules for your state. You can also hire a professional auctioneer.

2- Before hand inventory every tool. Research the value on the web. For smaller items make groupings. ( I already have a spreadsheet and all the manuals)

3- Make sure sets of items, paired items, are complete.

4- Make a printed list available to everyone who attends.

Tool auctions are quite popular. This way you won't need to have people rummaging through your stuff ahead of time and you'll have an idea of the value if you want to sell yourself or use a broker of some sort as mentioned above.

11-28-2011, 07:27 PM

JLMCDANIEL

Re: How best to sell tools, machines, and wood

Auction is probably the fastest and easiest way to get rid of everything. You can do that two ways , one hire and auctioneer and sell at the house and two find an auction house to take it to their place. You will generally get more at a house auction rather than an auction house. The auctioneer should furnish help to move the items outside for the auction.

Jack

11-29-2011, 12:42 AM

dj1

Re: How best to sell tools, machines, and wood

All of the above are brilliant ideas, but will they fetch the dough?

Used tools, which ment so much to the original owner, become a burden to those who are left with them. What a shame, cause some of those old tools are mastercrafted, yet they will bring a fraction of their cost in any of those sales methods.

I think you should expect low results, if any. You will be competing with folks in swap meets, flea markets, auctions, craigslist, pawn shops, pennysaver, classified and other avenues.

03-08-2013, 07:17 AM

Mortonhalden

Re: How best to sell tools, machines, and wood

Selling machines tools and wood is really great idea. It is hard to sell this things, when you start but when you create a contact with customers after that this business runs really well.

03-08-2013, 10:00 AM

t_manero

Re: How best to sell tools, machines, and wood

[QUOTE=HoustonRemodeler;255555]My will states that all my tools go to one of my employees who will, without a doubt, promptly sell them. [/QUOTE]

Make sure you don't drink any glass he hands you; pack your own parachute if you go sky diving together; have someone check any "all clear" signals he gives you; and monitor his gambling habbit.

03-08-2013, 11:14 AM

Sombreuil_mongrel

Re: How best to sell tools, machines, and wood

The longer the machinery sits, the further it will degrade. It's got its highest value right now. I would get an auctioneer to sell it on site, that way the buyer is responsible for removal, you don't have to lift a finger, the widow gets the check. It can all be done within a month to 6 weeks.
Casey

03-10-2013, 01:45 PM

rstl9999

Re: How best to sell tools, machines, and wood

Maybe there are tools and wood supply stores near you that have bulletin boards for posting such private sales as you are contemplating?

05-14-2013, 01:49 PM

Mr. Harvik

Re: How best to sell tools, machines, and wood

This may not be for everyone, but I had good luck with a garage sale. Ran cheap ad in local paper and signs on local street corners: TOOLs and TOOLS ONLY. Most were Craftsman or other name brand items. Gathered current prices from catalogs & ads to show current list price. Started at 50 percent of retail, and got about 35% to 40%.